6 Smart Ways to Drive Conversions on Social Media

Are you looking for new ways to drive conversions—signups, product demos, website visits, etc.—on social media? Of course you are.

That’s why we sat down with Hootsuite’s social marketing lead, Amanda Wood. She gave us the dirt on the best ways to drive conversions based on her experience with Hootsuite’s social media strategy.

1. Write clearly and succinctly

With all the noise on social networks these days, you need to get your point across quickly.

“Clear and crisp copy is always the goal,” says Wood.

You only have a few seconds to get the reader’s attention and convince them to take an action.

Here’s how to ensure your writing is as clear as possible:

Simplify. Take out unnecessary words and replace longer ones with shorter alternatives (write “use” instead of “utilize,” for example). We like to use Hemingway App to make sure our copy isn’t overly complicated.

Edit (at least twice). Whether you’re an expert writer or a beginner, everyone makes mistakes. By carefully reviewing your work, you might notice inconsistencies. If you don’t have time, ask a colleague to proofread for you. Or check out these 12 Quick Editing Tips for Social Media Pros.

Include an effective CTA. Your call to action should set an expectation for what’s coming next and clearly state how the reader will benefit, as most of us are driven to do things based on incentives. In Wood’s words, “Your audience should always know what to expect when they click through. Nothing should be a surprise to them…otherwise that’s clickbait!”

2. Put money behind your top-performing organic content

Social media marketers are often running multiple ad campaigns at once. It can be hard to keep track of them all. To save time, Wood uses AdEspresso’s Automatic Page Post Promotion feature to automatically boost content that’s doing well organically.

You can choose the type of posts you want to boost, how long they’ll be promoted for, and when to boost them with ad money. For example, you could decide that posts that contain a link to your website are automatically boosted once they receive 10 or more shares.

Our social team uses shares as a top metric as they are among the most “difficult” engagement action. A like or view is a more passive action than a share. Judging content based on shares usually means the most quality content will get picked for automatic promotion.

“It’s a system to have in place to get the ball rolling—without you having to attend to your ad constantly,” explains Wood. Automatic post promotion is not only a time-saver, it also ensures that successful content is getting more visibility—ultimately driving more conversions.

3. Try Instagram Story ads

After trying Instagram Story ads, our social team was pleasantly surprised with the amount of conversions—like content downloads and webinar registrations—they received.

4. Unleash the power of social video

Instead of using a block of text to explain what your product or service can do, put it in a video. It’s a smart way to get a message across in 15 to 30 seconds and studies show that video resonates well with audiences.

“When brainstorming content for our social videos, we look at the Hootsuite blog posts that are already popular,” Wood explains. If a piece of content is already driving conversions in one format, generally it performs well as a video.

5. Use eye-catching visuals

If people don’t even notice your content, you can’t expect it to drive conversions. And when it comes to creating content that stands out, the right image, video, or GIF can make all the difference.

Here’s how you can make sure your visuals stand out:

Be consistent with your choice of color. Assign certain colors to topics or content. According to Wood, it helps your audience know what to expect. For example, if you color-code your video tutorials with a green background, users will know at a glance what the video is about. This is helpful when users are looking forward to your next piece of content—they can spot it quickly on their feed. You should also avoid using colors that match the platform’s color scheme. “They’ll likely blend in,” Wood explains.

Avoid poor stock photos. If you have a boring stock photo that’s already being used by a handful of brands, there’s a chance your content will go unnoticed. Make sure you know the best practices for using stock photos.

Use a moving video or a GIF. Try something engaging to grab your reader’s attention. Wood likes to use a video or a GIF because they stand out in feeds. If you’re stuck, read our guide on choosing the right GIF for your social media content.

6. Make a mini infographic

An infographic is an easy-to-digest visualization of data or information. Our social team has seen great success using them to drive conversions:

These graphics do a great job of teasing content, compelling the reader to click through for more.

Wood explains that the conversion can come immediately or at a later time: “If we can win our readers over by helping them do this one thing, that’s great. Hopefully they’ll keep that in mind and down the road they’ll convert as a customer or follower.”